An MP who runs the company that won the rights to transmit this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup coverage to TV and radios in Bermuda has defended a $120,000 sponsorship deal struck with Government.

And Glenn Blakeney believes his company, which also runs radio station Hott107.5, should be applauded for taking a risk and landing the deal to allow cricket fans to tune in to the action from Trinidad this March and April.

But with a $200 subscription fee required to watch the televised games on cable TV, sponsorship of $12,000 each from ten separate Government Ministries all coming on top of a well-publicised $11 million investment in the sport in Bermuda in 2005, Opposition MP Jon Brunson is questioning the deal and the price Bermudians are paying either directly or indirectly through their taxes.

And he wants to know what will happen to the extra money — which he estimates to be many tens of thousands of dollars — between what was paid for the broadcast rights and the amount given by Government.

Mr. Blakeney’s version of how Inter-Island Communications, parent company of Hott 107.5, secured the contract to bring the cricket showpiece to listeners and viewers in Bermuda has been backed-up by Minister Dale Butler.

It was back in May 2006 that ZBM boss Rick Richardson asked Government for a $75,000 helping hand to bring the World Cup to Bermuda’s TV screens.

But the day before the money was to be handed over Inter-Island Communications announced their bid for the rights had been accepted by Caribbean Media Corporation without any Government cash promise, according to Mr. Butler who was then the Sports Minister. It was only in August 2006 that Mr. Blakeney’s company sent out sponsorship packages to private businesses and Government inviting them to invest in the upcoming TV and radio broadcasts.

This week it was revealed Government is putting $120,000 forward as sponsorship. According to Inter-Island Communications president Mr. Blakeney there has also been a good level of sponsorship from the private sector. The MP would not go public on the workings of the deal citing contractual obligations but did say the broadcast rights had cost more than $40,000 — one figure bandied about by observers.

Contract confidentiality also prevented him saying what deal had been struck with CableVision to allow it to carry TV pictures and charge subscribers $200. But he said the cost to viewers worked out at around $4 per match and was value for money when compared to the $50 cost to see Bermuda Idol or the $100 fee for the two-day Cup Match coverage.

“We made a (financial) risk in order to facilitate getting the rights to the coverage and then we had to figure out how to make it all viable,” said Mr. Blakeney.

The subsequent invitations to secure sponsorship to cover the cost of winning the broadcast rights were part of the business plan that Inter-Island Communications drew up to make the deal a success.

But UBP MP Mr. Brunson is questioning the deal and why ordinary Bermudians are being asked to stump up more cash if they want to the see the national team — just over a year after $11 million was put into the national team and development programmes — and why Government is putting more taxpayers money towards cricket in the form of the sponsorship.

“I’m extremely disappointed to hear Bermudian people are going to be expected to pay $200 to watch. It’s my view that the people of Bermuda have already paid to see their team participate in the World Cup,” said the Shadow Sports Minister. “Government has invested $11 million in cricket in Bermuda and to me that is enough. It is ridiculous for Government to subsidise Hott 107.5 to bring this to Bermuda.”

Mr. Brunson believes the broadcast rights cost well below $120,000, so he wants to know what is to happen to the extra money secured from Government. He also feels Bermuda has paid out so much to cricket in the recent past that residents should be allowed to watch televised performances of the national team’s historic debut in the ICC World Cup for free.